Disease, which causes people to stop breathing while asleep, linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Obstructive sleep apnoea costs the US and UK economies more than £137bn ($185bn) a year, according to research.
People with the serious health condition repeatedly stop breathing temporarily while asleep; they tend to snore very loudly and can wake up gasping for breath.
Sufferers will also often experience excessive daytime fatigue. The condition is thought to affect about 1 billion people globally – including 8 million in the UK – though up to 85% are undiagnosed. Untreated, it is linked to increased risks of heart attack and stroke.
A new study, led by researchers at University College London, surveyed more than 4,000 adults in the UK and US and found that about a fifth of respondents reported breathing pauses on three or more nights and excessive daytime sleepiness – core criteria for a diagnosis of sleep apnoea.
